Portable odor adsorption device



June 13', 195o G- S. DAUPHINEE Filed Aug. 1s, 1946 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented June 13, 1950 UNITED PATENT" 2,511,497 EORTABLE once ADSOBPHON DEYIQE George S. Dauphinee, Brooklyn, N. Y., assigner,l

' bymesne assignments, to, Wi B.-,:Gcnnor .Enz gineering Corporation, New YorlslN@ a 09.1'-

lnreiicn ef Yerk application lAugust 1.6, wiaserialfna 691,143

i claims. 01. 18.37.352

This invention relates to an..-odorA adsorption or odor removing device .and the likeland more particularly to-a`portable or adjustable unit vfor adsorbing` and removing foffensive odors .from a, conned space.

A problem frequently involved in ventilationois an isolated source of offensive odor Nwhich then permeates the entirev space. 'fiori example, in

the evacuation of battle casualties byy hospital.

ships or by airplanes, the sick bays and-cabins` because of draining wounds, oldodorous casts,y gangrenous wound odors and other infections become` the source of odors which are not only offensive to the patients,v but frequentlyl have caused the crew of the evacuation craf-tto-become ill.

Another source of offensive odorA is coniined storage spaces for meat and other food-.products and vwhich odors might. putrify or otherwise affect the .stored`A produceor the sourcemightbe only one orl a very-few of the products vvlsiiclt or a storage cornpartment.` ,In the pressure. typev cabins it., would be impossible. Furthermore, the. .extentof ventilation required to constantly remove vitiated air would cause draf-ts and, at, altitudes, cold, and under conditions of continu: ous evolvement of offensive odors, rapid air movement, at the rate of a complete change per minute,

is-noteven suiiicient to control the o dor.

Chemical sprays and vapors have also been used but these are objectionable because of their own odor. Most of these deodorante utilize formaldehyde as the active agent and constant in'- halation of. lGhese fumes Voftencauses throat irritation and` may cause Yinflammations such asr coryza and bronchitis- Other deodorante, such as perfumes and ozone are also unsatisfactory,l the .lirst because it simply masks the offensive odor. and the latter because it may be harmful to the human body when it is concentrated sufficiently to exhibit deodorant action'.

'The method with whichk the. present invention removalof. odors byadsorptionin activated care bon or other adsorbent .media such as alumina or silica gel, With subsequent recirculation of the air. Although this principle of 4 air .puriiicartion is oi' coursewell-knovvn, designers have been confronted with serious obstacles ini-ts practical and ncommerical application. to; airl conditioning service in small confined spaces, particularly evacuation` air craft,v sick bays, etc.

In the past the principle `of adsorption was utilized inconnectionwith surgery bythe appli-- cation of carbon-impregnated dressings to the Wounds.

A particular problem hasfbeen .confrontedn in removing by adsorption. the sub-blanket odor from .the patients bed. n order to meet-this problem-,- the airflow ifieededA to produce a slight negative pressure under! the vblanketon a cot without causing a draft -perceptibleto the patient .l first hadto beestabl-ished. Ifnthe airiiow is toev strong it will` cause discomfort andvpain to vthev patient and if too Weak; itWill--failineits purpose.-

-t is, therefore; amongy the" objects of the" presA ent invention to provide an adsorption devicel of the character indicated; which is light-Weight andportable,V which canI easily-beL adj-usted i'or the removal oi'odviirsY from any confined space; andwhien winx-mt impose anyduiufoni burdenupon their limited ventilationfjacilities. v

Another object is the provision of an' adsorpf' tion device which Will eiec't 'complete removal of the oiiensivejodoi Without* causingobjection-h ablel drafts. 4

A still' vfurther object, ijs to provide' an adsor'p'f: een "evite which el' esilvbe assembled 'and' e cognate and more spic object is tofV pro,- Vide anadsorptio'r'i dy ic'for rein'vng Qthe,A "subi blanket qqn-riore aussie, bees'.

Faiths?. @bis Il@ .edvefeesieierept ini the invention become esperes@ Afifsrritlie fel- OWilS, Silsca in, conjunction with. the eeemeeevms. .dre ine. showing a preferred; embodiment .and iii-which.

Figure l is a perspective View withzportions; broken away show-ing adsorption device ac,- coldins t0 thei ation.

Eigure 2 is @section takenalonggthe line 2-.2l

c. 0f Figure 1,1.k

is concerned onA the other handy involves. the 55, Eigure 5:..is1-a sectional-view of the.- fan .unit

casing drawn to an enlarged scale showing how the device may be fastened in position.

Referring in greater detail to the drawing, throughout which the same reference characters indicate the same or analogous parts, the device according to the invention comprises a canister generally indicated at ID which consists of a casing II, preferably of cylindrical shape, containing a bed of granular activated carbon I2. The casing II is provided with perforations I3 to admit access of the surrounding air.

The casing II is closed at one end I4 but is provided with an opening I5 at the other end, which is provided with a nipple or collar I6. A coupling Il of hard rubber or similar material frictionally and detachably engages the nipple I6. The other end of the coupling I'I is cemented or otherwise attached to the fan unit casing I8 which at its other end is attached to the collar I9 of the exible exhaust tubing 20.

The motor 2i which is mounted within the casing it by means of the clamp 22 drives the axial ow exhaust fan 23.

vThe other end of the tubing 20 is provided with a collar 2li to which the tube 25 is connected. A pin 25a, mounted transversely in the tube 25 serves as a bearing for the butterfly valve which is held frictionally on the pin.

The motor 2l' may be connected to a power outlet by means of the cord 2| running through the tubing 2u the cord anchor 28 to the motor and connected to the plug 29.

For the purpose of keeping the blankets and bed clothes spaced from the canister so as to admit access of the foul air thereto, the casing II may be provided with guard wires 3U which are connected to a pair or rings 3l which can easily be slipped on to the casing.

The device may be fastened to the bed or litter by means of a strap 32 which is buckled about the fan unit casing I8 by means of the buckle 33. This strap is also connected to a clip 34 by means of the swivel 35. The clip may then be attached to the blanket 36.

In operation, when applied to a sick bed or litter, the canister is placed at the patients feet or at Ysome other convenient place and fastened in position as shown in Figure 5 of the drawing with the exhaust tubing hanging over the edge of the bed or litter.

The odor permeated, sub-blanket air is drawn by the fan 22 through the carbon bed I2 which collects the oensive vapors and gases, and the purified air is then exhausted through the tubing 20 to the room for subsequent re-circulation. It will thus be seen that the room air is in no manner vitiated.

It has been found that an optimum air ow through the carbon canister of cubic feet per minute will maintain a negative pressure sufcient to cause the withdrawal of the foul air without causing perceptible drafts. However, velocity of the air flow may be regulated by means of the butterfly 26. Thus if it should be desired to decrease the air flow, the butterily valve 26 is turned to a transverse position whereas its longitudinal position will permit an increased flow.

The carbon bed should preferably have a thickness of 3A inch within the circumference of the canister which for the specific purpose described may be 3 inches in diameter with an overall length of 8 inches and a weight of about 20 ounces. The carbon once saturated can of course be reactivated and reused or simply be replaced.

The motor may be very small, about 27 volts,

weighing about 7 ounces and developing ap-i proximately 11,000 R. P. M. with a ten watt energy consumption.

The exhaust tubing may have an approximate length of 18 inches and a weight of about 5 ounces.

The device thus described will only be slightly heavier than two pounds and have very small bulk which will make it easy to transfer and adjust to various situations where odor removal is required. y,

It should be understood, however, that the application of the device is not limited to hospital or litter use, but may be applied to any conned space.

Furthermore, it should be understood that this disclosure is given by way of example and not by way of limitation. On the other hand, the invention lends itself to a variety of expressions within the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A portable and detachable odor adsorption device for removing oensive odors underneath the coverlet of a sick bed, litter or the like, said device comprising a canister disposable under said coverlet and having an outer casing and an inner casing deiining a central air passageway, said casings having perforate side wallsv spaced from one another and closed at both ends,

'odor adsorption materialfilling the space between said walls, said air passageway being closed at one end and open a the opposite end, a flexible tubular member connected to the open end of said passageway, and means in said tubular member for drawing puried air through said air passageway and discharging it through said tubular member to a point outside said coverlet, whereby to produce a relatively low pressure area under the coverlet maintaining a flow of air inwardlyA through the coverlet and preventing the escape of malodorous air outwardly of the coverlet.

2. A portable and detachabe odor adsorption device for removing oiensive odors underneath the coverlet of a sick bed, litter or the like, said device comprising a canister disposable under said coverlet and having an outer casing and an inner casing defining a central air passageway, said casings having perforate side Walls spaced from one another and closed at both ends, odor adsorption material filling the space between said walls, said air passageway being closed at one end and open at the opposite end, a nipple for said open end, a coupling member for engaging said nipple, a, housing secured to said coupling member, an exhaust fan and driving motor mounted in said housing, and a flexible tubular member connected to said housing and extensibe to a point outside said coverlet, whereby to produce a relatively low pressure area under the coverlet maintaining a ilow of air inwardly through the coverlet and preventing the escape of malodorous air outwardly of the coverlet.

3. A portable and detachable odor adsorption device for removing oiensive odors underneath the coverlet of a sick bed, litter or the like, said device comprising a canister disposable under said coverlet and having an outer casing and an inner casing defining a central air passageway, said casings having perforate side walls spaced from one another and closed at both ends, odor adsorption material filling the space between said walls, said air passageway being closed at one end and open at the opposite end, a exible tubular` member connected to the open end of said passageway, means in said tubular member casing of said canister for preventing direct conf* tact between said outer casing and said Coverlet and permitting access of air to said canister, whereby to produce a relatively low pressure area. under the coveriet maintaining a ow of air in' wardly through the coverlet and preventing the escape of malodorous air outwardly of the coverlet.

4. A portable and detachable odor adsorption device for removing offensive odors underneath the coverlet of a sick bed, litter or the like, said device comprising a canister disposable under said coverlet and having an outer casing and an inner casing defining a central air passageway, said casings having perforate side walls spaced from one another and closed at both ends, odor adsorption material lling the space between said walls, said air passageway being closed at one end and open at the opposite end, a nipple for said open end, a coupling member for engaging said nipple, a housing secured to said coupling member, an exhaust ian and driving motor mounted in said housing, a flexible tubular member connected to said housing and extensible to a point outside said Coverlet, and projecting guard means secured to the outer casing of said canister for preventing direct contact between said outer casing and said Coverlet and permitting access of air to said canister, whereby toproduce a relatively low pressure area under the Coverlet maintaining a flow of air inwardly through the coverlet and preventing the escape of malodorous air outwardly of the coverlet.

GEORGE S. DAUPHINEE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,619,954 Olmstead et al Mar. 8, 1927 2,115,541 Schlunz Apr. 26, 1938 2,180,119 Osterloh et al Nov. 14, 1939 2,209,054 Doud et al. July 23, 1940 2,406,368 Gross Aug. 27, 1946 2,414,564 Silverman et al Jan. 21, 1947 2,423,650 Hurst July 8, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 523,541 Great Britain July 17, 1940 

